Just Pretend
by burnedupasun
Summary: Beth (an up and coming singer-song writer) has been flirting with Daryl (a music blogger) ever since they first met a few weeks ago. When Daryl gets naughty and teases her a little one night, Beth gets her revenge by writing and performing a frisky little song.


****A/N: This is a piece I originally posted on AO3 awhile ago and then never actually posted here. It's inspired by the song "Just Pretend" by Emily Kinney, and a gif set by bethgreening on tumblr (post/102833404561).**

With a sharp push that forced the heavy comforter off her chest, Beth sat up in bed with a sigh. It was no use, she just couldn't sleep tonight. Yeah, the third cup of coffee she'd had earlier today had definitely been a mistake. She glanced over at the clock at her bedside table and groaned as the blue lighted numbers informed her it was 12:36am. Not too late, but still way later than she should be awake.

She couldn't help it, though. She'd spent the day in the small studio she'd rented, recording one of her new songs. That always had her hyped, even without all the coffee she'd had. She loved being in the studio, getting to lay down vocals on her tracks. It wasn't like she had a big record contract or nothing, she was just making her own independent ep to try and get more notice. Something to hand out at the gigs she did now at clubs around Atlanta, something to maybe send off to record companies, or sell if she could.

It had been about a year since she'd left the family farm to move to Atlanta and pursue a music career, but it was going well. Especially lately. Even since she'd met Daryl Dixon, the number of gigs she'd been getting had been on the rise. The man had seen her at one of her shows, struck up a conversation, and eventually recorded her singing for his music blog. Apparently he had more connections and viewers than she'd realized, because in the weeks since she'd scored quite a few gigs and even a couple interviews in local papers.

Weirdly though, that wasn't the best thing to come out of their meeting. No, the best thing about it was getting to meet _him_. They'd been talking a lot since. Emails, texts, sometimes even phone calls. Whenever something funny or cool happened, she found herself lifting her phone to message him, and every time she glanced down and saw a text from him, or a photo of something he'd seen and sent her, she couldn't help grinning. Just a couple days ago they'd gone out for coffee, and while she was pretty sure it wasn't officially a date, it had definitely been... something. Lord help her but she couldn't seem to resist flirting with Daryl Dixon, with his piercing blue eyes and scruffy beard and that long sexy hair of his. Not to mention that southern accent, or all the things about him that went far beyond the physical; like his taste in music, their shared love of coffee (and, amusingly, taking selfies and photographs constantly on their phones), the way he made her laugh.

As if thinking about him had conjured him somehow, Beth heard a little 'ding' from her cellphone where it lay on her bedside table. She rolled over onto her belly and reached out, fumbling for a moment before she got her fingers curled around it. Leaning up on her elbows on the bed, Beth peered down at the phone in her hand and smiled. It was a text, from Daryl.

_Figured you're asleep, but I just got home and saw the song you emailed me. Wanted to let you know it's damn good as always, girl. Think it's my favorite so far._

Beth lifted her fingers to type a reply and then instead a smile crossed her lips. She knew he was awake, after all, and it wasn't like she was gonna get to bed any time soon. Plus she couldn't deny the little flutter that was kicking up in her belly just thinking about him. Without thinking about it anymore, Beth rolled onto her back, hit the button on her phone, and dialed.

It only took two rings before he picked up with a chuckle. "Hey," she breathed out softly, a smile crossing her lips.

"Shouldn't y' be asleep, Greene?"

Beth heard the teasing tone in his rough, Southern-twang, and just grinned a little wider. "Couldn't sleep. Too hyped from a day in the studio... Well that, and three cups of coffee."

"You sure it was the studio that did it, cause my bets on the coffee."

She could hear him settling down, maybe into a chair, and she tried to imagine it in her mind. Of course, what was the point of wondering when you could just ask? "What're you doing?"

"Well I was gonna get some sleep, but then a pretty blonde decided to give me a call, so instead I'm sittin' on my bed talkin' t' her."

"A pretty blonde, hm?" Beth's lips curved up in a little smile. "Must be real pretty, to keep you from your sleep. It's late..."

"It's not too late." Through the phone she heard what she figured was him shifting around, followed by the creak of his bed before he added, "And yeah, she is."

There was that fluttery feeling, low in her belly again. Beth hummed softly as she turned onto her side, and her voice was a tiny bit lower as she replied, "Lucky her, to have a handsome man to call late at night when she can't sleep."

"Handsome, huh?" Daryl snorted. "We both know handsome ain't a word people use a lot when it comes to me."

It was more playful than self-deprecating, though Beth had learned that Daryl could be a bit self deprecating at times. "Come on, don't you know I'm a sweet Southern girl? Handsome is my go-to compliment for a man as good-looking as you, Daryl Dixon." She paused a beat, her cheeks all flushed and warm. "Could think of a few others though, if you're really opposed to that one."

"Yeah?" He was shifting around again and Beth's eyes fluttered shut as she imagined him stretched out on his bed, one arm behind his head and a lock of dark hair falling into his eyes. "Why don't you give 'em a try, Greene."

She ran the fingers of her free hand in circles over her comforter as she bit briefly down on her lower lip. Beth didn't know what was getting into her. They'd flirted before, pretty much since they'd first met, but never this openly. Maybe it was because it was late and they were both in bed. Maybe because they'd been growing closer and closer each day as they got to know each other more.

Maybe she could just blame the coffee? Well, whatever the cause, Beth wasn't about to stop. Her voice was sweet and a little bit husky as she murmured, "Hmmm... Attractive? Hm, that's not quite strong enough. Gorgeous? That's a good one." Her voice got a little lower. "How about 'hot'? I like that one. Or maybe sexy. Yeah, that one definitely applies."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. No, not silence. Just a pause and then the sound of Daryl groaning softly as he shifted in place. "You always like this at night, Greene?"

She smiled. "No. Only when I'm talking to you, I guess."

He seemed to like that answer. Or she thought he did, cause it was almost like she could hear him just smiling on the other end of the phone as the silence lasted a few seconds before he teased, "Lucky me, then."

Beth hummed in agreement. She oddly felt almost content just laying there in silence with him, cause there was something reassuring about his presence at the end of the phone. Just the thought of it had a new urge building up inside her... To invite him over here, to just open her mouth and ask him to come to her place and climb into bed with her. Instantly her cheeks flushed at the thought. Even worse, she hadn't even fully meant it like _that_. She would have been perfectly content just falling asleep with him in bed next to her.

When had she started to feel like this about him? Beth didn't know but the truth was, she liked it. It felt good. She just wondered if he felt the same.

Though the silence had gone on for longer than usual, it wasn't awkward. Beth wanted to hear his voice, though she was sure not to open her mouth and blurt out what she'd been thinking seconds before. "Tell me about your day," she murmured after a few moments, rolling onto her back. "I could use a good story."

"Like a bedtime story?" He chuckled, all low and rough in a way that sent a shiver of warmth right to her tummy.

"Yeah," Beth said playfully, "Like a bedtime story. Come on, Dixon, don't disappoint."

So she listened happily as he told her all about his day; breakfast at the place underneath his apartment, heading out to pickup some new material a few record companies wanted him to review, calling his brother at prison for a short conversation (Daryl had been surprisingly honest with her about his brother from the start, though he'd only hinted at their complicated past). He had just gotten through telling him of the band he'd gone out to see tonight, when he finished up, "And then I came home to an email from a pretty blonde, spent about 15 minutes listenin' to her incredible voice singing on repeat, an' then was kept from my sleep by her phone call." He paused, and chuckled again. "Not that I'm complainin'."

"Mmmm... I'm glad." She was. Just the sound of his voice made her feel good. Nice and warm and tingly and yeah, definitely still not tired.

"Did my bed-time story help you feel sleepy, Greene?"

There was a playful sound to his voice, and for a moment Beth wondered if he could read her mind. Which was silly, obviously, but she still blushed as she replied, "Nope... Not that it wasn't a good story."

This time he was silent for a few moments as she heard him shifting on his bed. When he finally spoke again, his voice was a little rougher, a little lower, "Well, you know there are better ways t' fall asleep than bed-time stories, girl..."

"Like what?" Beth really wasn't thinking straight, asking that.

"Y'know..." He paused just a moment and she swore his voice got huskier. "The kind of things you have to handle yourself. Takin' matters into yer own hands."

"Oh." The first time sounded perplexed, and then it hit her. "_Oh_." She blinked, and her cheeks must have been bright pink, not that he could see it. "Daryl Dixon!"

"What?" He was laughing, she could hear it, and lord that was kinda sexy as hell.

"You did not just suggest that I... _do that_, to fall asleep!"

"Do what, Miss Greene? Not sure I know what yer insinuatin'."

Well now he was just making her feel silly and innocent, and of course she wasn't. Sure, she hadn't had a boyfriend since Jimmy back home, unless you counted Zach, who was really just a guy she'd dated and fooled around with a bit, not a "boyfriend". Even he hadn't been around for about a year now. Regardless, she wasn't a virgin, and she definitely knew what masturbating was.

He knew just how to push her buttons, and not just in the way that got her all flushed and hot and put that low throbbing between her legs. No, he challenged her, dared her, until she couldn't resist the thought of giving it right back to him, "You know what _you're_ insinuating? That you're lying there in bed, thinking about me with my hands between my legs, touching myself until..."

The words had spilled from her lips in a rush, only for her to get halfway through and cut herself off with a little gasp. She had _so_ not intended to say anything like that to him. Beth was usually a lot more polite and sweet, but he just brought something out of her.

Silence reigned between them until Daryl spoke again, his voice unexpectedly thick, "Until what, Greene?"

She actually shuddered and sat up in bed cause lord, a part of her wanted to tell him. She wanted to sink back into her pillows and whisper about how she would touch herself and come with his name on her lips like she had just last night when he'd slipped into her thoughts unbidden and afterwards had teased her through her dreams.

But she couldn't. Could she? No. Not yet, anyway.

"Until I tell you what a perv you are, Dixon." Her voice was light and playful, so she'd know he wasn't mad. "And if you're just gonna perv on me instead of being helpful, then maybe I should go to bed."

Beth heard him chuckling on the other line, and she knew he wasn't mad. He was smiling at her, she could just feel it. "Alright," he drawled, but his voice was softer as he murmured, "G'night, songbird."

"G'night, Daryl." She smiled, and pressed end on the call.

But she was still awake, and something was brewing in the back of her mind. Not just the heated feelings she had for him, or the burgeoning romantic ones, either. A better idea. A fun, silly, playful idea. A perfect way to get back at him for teasing her tonight.

A mischievous grin curved up her lips as she slid her phone back onto the nightstand, climbed out of bed, and reached for her guitar and her notebook. Beth stayed up most of the night, writing and practicing, but the next morning she made sure to send Daryl a text, inviting him to her show the next night. After all, it would be no fun if he wasn't there.

...

Waking up to a text from Beth yesterday had been a relief. Despite knowing she'd been having just as much fun with their playful conversation as he had been, Daryl had been a tiny bit worried that he'd made her uncomfortable. It was the sort of worry that plagued him a lot when it came to her. He was older by about ten years, and though she was drinking age and all it was still the sort of thing people would judge. Of course, he was also from a far darker and rougher past than she was, this sweet Georgia peach with a hair like sunshine and a voice like an angel.

He'd been drawn to her from the moment he first saw her up on that stage, singing with that perfect voice. He'd fallen for her harder each time he saw her, and Daryl was not the kind of guy with much experience falling for girls. Being with them, yeah, but not like this. At least he was pretty sure she felt the same way about him. She was definitely interested; their late night conversation had been confirmation of that. Despite his worry ,Daryl had fallen asleep thinking of her low husky voice, talking about sliding her hands between her legs. _Shit_. He was a goner, when it came to her.

Luckily it didn't seem like he was gonna be a goner in the sense of her wanting nothing to do with him after his teasing. His mood had lifted quite a bit after that text, and over the course of the next day they'd continued their usual playful texting, chatting, and occasionally sending each other pictures of their day. It was something he'd grown to look forward to every day.

The following night he showed up at the club she was performing at, and was let right in. He had on his favorite worn jeans, a black t-shirt, and a leather jacket he'd had for ages. He'd worn it partially because he'd liked it, but also because he'd worn it when they'd had coffee once, and the way Beth had eyed it made it clear she liked it too. And if Beth Greene liked it, then he was damn well gonna wear it.

He settled into a seat in the back of the room, noticing that she had a good crowd. She wasn't big, not yet anyway, but she had a good enough local following and he could only imagine it'd keep growing. Daryl had just enough time to order a beer and then Beth was on stage, and pretty much from the moment she walked out, his eyes were on her. She had on skinny jeans that clung to her shapely legs, and a fitted black t-shirt, with those boots she was so fond of. Her hair was down tonight and it was practically luminous under the lights. Daryl was mesmerized, and his drink was quickly forgotten.

Beth went through quite a few of her songs, most of which he'd already heard before. They sounded better every time he heard them, cause she was just so damn good, but honestly Daryl was looking forward to the end of the night. Okay, so part of that was because he could sneak back stage and meet up with her, but there were less selfish reasons, too. He knew she liked to end the show with a new song, and he was looking forward to seeing if that would be the case tonight.

"So for my last song of the night, I like to try something new, and tonight is no exception." Beth smiled out at the crowd, scanning over them. "This is a brand new song, actually. I just wrote it the other night, and it's for someone special." To Daryl's surprise, she met his eyes with a brief little wink, and then added softly into the microphone, "This is a song called _Just Pretend_."

Daryl had to admit, he was pleased at the idea that she'd written a song for him. There was no doubt in his mind that she had feelings for him the way he had for her. Already he was making plans; tonight would be the night, he ask her out the way he'd been meaning to for damn ages. Maybe he'd even kiss her, except he kinda thought Beth might be the sort of girl who liked to have a date before that. She was a sweet girl, a nice girl, and she deserved someone who would respect that.

Only then Beth began to sing, and Daryl suddenly realized he'd been far from understanding the full depths of what sort of girl Beth Greene was.

"_Humid night, I wake at 3 all wired, what's a girl to do if she's not tired? Feel an ache, hunger low in my tummy, mouth full of freckles, sure sounds yummy. Gettin' hot and I'm feelin' a little bit, what I would give for your salty inviting scent, I admit, I admit I am scared to be on my own, though parents bragged I'm a kid who plays good alone."_

Daryl was already leaning forward in his seat to watch her. She couldn't be singing about what he thought she was, right?

"_Crunch up my blankie, I put it between my knees, I curl my toes and I give it a good hard squeeze, I just pretend, just pretend, just pretend you're there, I just pretend, just pretend, just pretend you care. Turn to my tummy, I'm movin' my hips around, I wanna scream but seems silly to make such sound, I just pretend, just pretend, I can taste your sweat I just pretend, just pretend, you can hear my breath."_

Fuck. She was totally singing about what he'd thought she was... And Daryl was, so screwed. But he couldn't take her eyes off her, and apparently neither could she, because as she got to the chorus she looked right at him and held his gaze: _"Aha aha ha aha ah ha ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaa..."_

Shit. Fuck. She was gonna kill him, and he was gonna love every moment of it. He already did love every moment of it, watching her singing in that microphone for him, swaying her hips and flashing him those teasing bedroom eyes when her gaze passed over his.

"_Boy you're real sorry that you didn't call or write, but baby boy it's a-a-a-alright, I miss kisses in the morning light, but havin' some fun learning to love myself tonight. Aha aha ha aha aha ha ha ha..._"

Frankly it was all he could do to stay at the table. He wanted to get up and go to her, cross the room, scoop her up from in front of the microphone mid song and bring her back stage to pin her against the wall until she gasping to the same rhythm of that damn chorus. She was driving him mad, and at the same time, he couldn't stop grinning. The girl was feisty, he had to give her that. She had spirit, and it only made her more attractive to him.

"_I hope you don't think it's dirty, to be so selfishly flirty. My body and brain have been reelin' from this unanswered sexual feelin'. You never thought this girl could make such noise, I never thought I'd have such fun, no help from boys .You got me pinned up against these mirrored walls, it's in my head, I don't worry 'bout trips or falls I just pretend, just pretend you can feel me shake, I just pretend, just pretend but this next part's not fake..."_

And then she launched into that chorus one more time, her eyes finding his through the crowd and holding them as she essentially simulated her own climax through song. He was rock hard in his jeans, but he couldn't get away with adjusting it in the middle of this crowd. The look in her eyes said she knew just what she was doing to him, but he was okay with that. Cause despite the song being payback, it also told him _exactly_ what he was doing to her. It wasn't just a song about her touching herself to get to sleep, it was a song about her longing for him, sliding her fingers between her legs and rolling around those slender hips while she thought about _him_.

Which was why he barely waited to hear her soft sweet 'thank you' into the microphone before he was on his feet and heading towards the stage door. He got two steps inside and saw her, standing in the doorway of the little dressing room she'd been given to get ready in, and he knew the heat in his eyes were reflected in hers.

She took one step back into the room and that inviting look in her eyes had him practically rushing forward towards her. As soon as he was close enough his hands were on her hips, lifting her up and pulling her flush against him as he stepped into the room. It took one moment to kick the door shut, and another to turn and press her against the nearest wall. He only paused on second before his lips were sliding over hers, heated with desire, firm with need. He wanted to kiss her for hours just like he'd imagined back there at the table while she'd sung that song to him, but he was also acutely aware that what he felt for Beth was far more than lust.

That didn't stop his hands from gripping her hips, or his body from pressing firmly into hers as he groaned against her mouth, "Fucking hell, Greene. Were you trying to kill me?"

She gave a little mewling sound that was somehow both cute and sexy at the same time. "No," she breathed out huskily. "Got much better things in mind for you than death, Daryl." Beth sighed against his mouth and her fingers brushed up over the back of his neck to curl through his hair. "Call me Beth," she added in a near whisper.

It fell from his lips like a prayer- "_Beth..._"- and then her mouth was on his again in a hot, passionate kiss. His desire for her was like fire all hot in his veins, sparking and surging as his hand ran up her hip to her side, dragging up the fabric so the tips of his fingers could graze the warm soft skin of her side. Yet as they kissed, it began to lose that hard, desperate edge. It slowed, deepened, turned into something far more than just lust and desire.

By the time it finished, he was panting a little against her lips. Daryl's forehead rested against hers and he looked down into those brilliant cornflower blue eyes and felt a surge of emotion curling around his heart. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Can I take you out?"

"What?" She blinked up at him, confused and probably lost in the haze of pleasure from his kisses.

God knew the sight of those swollen pink lips parting with that single word made him just want to lean in and kiss her again, but he forced himself to keep going. "Can I take you out. On a date?"

"_Oh_." She smiled slowly up at him. "Yes. You can definitely take me out on a date, Daryl Dixon."

He would have taken just that perfect, gorgeous 'oh' in reply, but the yes was pretty damn great too. He was just leaning in to kiss her again when she breathed out, "But..."

Daryl's eyebrow raised as he pulled back to look at her, trying to not let his stomach twist up or the worry consume him. She seemed to read some of it in his eyes regardless of how he tried to hide it. Since the first day he'd met her, those blue eyes seemed to see right to the heart of him.

Beth lifted her fingers and grazed the tips over the line of his cheekbone, and her voice was soft with promise as she murmured, "But first, you're going to have to take me back to my place, Daryl." The smile she gave him had his pants feeling impossibly tight. "Tonight you gotta help me fall asleep in person."

He couldn't say no to that. Somehow they ended up at her place, after an incredibly tense drive in his car, where the only thing stopping him from pulling her into his lap was the fact that he wanted her alive and in one piece, that he wanted her in his arms, in her bed, more than he'd wanted anything in his life before.

It took twice as long for her to pull out her keys and unlock the door because he couldn't stop touching her, his hands brushing over her hips as he pushed her hair out of the way with his nose and pressed soft little kisses across her bare shoulder. She was whimpering when she finally got the door open and they stumbled into her little apartment. It was cute, just like her, but he couldn't take too much time to look around it for the first time, not when she was right there under his hands, arching her back and begging for more as she tugged off his leather jacket and tossed it aside.

With her pointing the way they somehow make it into the bedroom, though Daryl only got about two steps inside of the door before he was pinning her against the wall and kissing her until both of them were gasping breath. His chest was heaving when he pulled back to look down at her. She had her head tipped up towards him, her cheeks flushed and her lips swollen from his kisses, her hair mussed against the wall and her blue eyes dark in the dimly lit room.

"God, you're beautiful." He breathed out the words without thinking, but he couldn't bother being embarrassed when she was so close, so perfect. Daryl couldn't resist leaning down to press his lips to her sweet skin, following the line of her delicate jaw up towards her ear. Beth hummed at his kisses, and when he found that sweet spot just under her ear, she breathed out a soft little moan that he swore made his knees get weak for a moment. It definitely had his pants feeling a good deal tighter.

"I thought for sure you were going to take me right there against the wall in my dressing room." Beth's voice was low and warm near his ear as he continued to tease hers with the tip of his tongue, dragging it up the curved shell.

"Almost did," he breathed out, "Wanted to." He punctuated his words with a faint nip to her ear lobe, pulling a perfect breathy gasp from her lips.

"So... Why didn't you?"

Beth didn't sound like she was complaining, just curious, and it made him smile against her soft skin. "Cause you deserve better," he murmured against her neck as he trailed his lips down over that perfect curve, "And I wanted to give you whatever you wanted."

He heard her sigh above him as he felt her lace her fingers into his long dark hair. Now her lips brushed his ear as she whispered, "I want you, Daryl Dixon."

How could he say no to that? It was impossible.

She ended up on the bed beneath him, and he took off her clothes piece by piece, relishing every inch of skin revealed to him. Her jeans slid off in one smooth motion down her slender hips, and she leaned up for him with a grin to strip off her shirt and toss it aside. Eyes full of worship, Daryl kissed his way up her taut stomach and right between the swells of her breasts, playfully kissing across the edge of lace that covered her soft warm skin before he pulled back to smile down at her.

When Beth leaned up and began to undo her bra, he felt himself twitch in his snug jeans. She managed to look both angelic and sinful at the same time, fuck if he knew how. He just wanted her, wanted to kiss every inch of her and make her feel better than she had ever before. She tossed her bra aside and he drank in the sight of her pert breasts and sweet, rosy nipples. Soon he was kissing between them again, brushing his lips up across the curve of one until he could gently suck her nipple between his lips and tease it to a needy little peak.

There were the sounds he'd wanted, little mewls and moans spilling from her lips as she arched and squirmed beneath him. Daryl lavished attention on both her breasts, making sure to keep things even and fair. Only when he had her panting for breath did he pull back and reach down to hook his fingers into her panties. He paused just long enough to meet her eyes, to make sure she still wanted this. What she wanted was the most important thing in the world, after all. All it took was one reassuring nod from Beth, and he was sliding her panties slowly down the perfect curves of her hips and over her creamy thighs, dragging them down over her knees as he moved with them.

Daryl climbed off the end of the bed and dropped the panties on the floor, riveted to the sight of her. To his surprise, she wasn't shy, she didn't try to hide herself from him. Then again, maybe it wasn't so surprising after that song she'd written and performed for him. She was a little naughtier than he'd guessed before, and he just loved that. But he loved the sight of her stretched beneath him on the bed even more, letting him worship her with his eyes. She was all smooth soft skin and supple curves, long slender legs leading up into perfectly flared hips and god, the look in her eyes.

"You're wearing too much," Beth murmured, a little pout on her lips as she ran her fingers up her belly, "It ain't fair."

"My apologies," he teased back, his languid words belied by how quickly he moved to unbuckle his pants, pop open his button, and drag down the zipper. Soon his pants were on the floor and he was kicking off his shoes, leaving him in only his boxers, which were definitely tighter than usual. Daryl felt so acutely aware of her gaze on him, traveling up over his boxers to his flat, somewhat-defined stomach. He saw her eyes linger on his toned and muscled arms (he worked out at home, and the hunting he did on the weekends for fun also helped), but he also couldn't help but notice the way she'd spotted the few little scars on his chest, covered by one or two tattoos.

The worst of them were on his back, but she hadn't had a chance to notice them yet. He knew she would, but for the first time Daryl didn't feel any dread in that knowledge. In fact he trusted her. They hadn't even gone on a date yet, but that didn't matter. He knew how special she was, and he knew she wouldn't react the wrong way. She was too good, too sweet, to judge him because of his scars.

With a groan at the weight of her eyes on his, Daryl pushed down his boxers and freed his thick, hard length. He didn't stand there long, cause the appreciative look in her eyes was frankly too good to resist. It only took a few seconds and then he was climbing back over her, hands braced on either side of her head, his legs between hers, her breasts grazing his chest, and _god_, he loved the feeling of himself pressed against her where she was so slick and hot and wet for him.

"_Beth_." He breathed out her name in a low moan and leaned in to catch her lips in a slow kiss, and there it was, her hands splaying at his lower back and brushing up over his skin. He felt her hesitate when she got to the first unexpected ridge, and he tensed above her as her fingers traced across each new mark she discovered, mapping out the scars across his skin left behind by his father's belt.

She must have sensed the tension in him and despite his trust for her, he braced for her to speak, to ask the questions that he wasn't sure he wanted to answer right now when they were like this. But she didn't. She let her hands spread against his back and leaned in and caught his lips in a slow kiss. It deepened gradually, her lips parting against his as she fed her passion into it. He felt her hips grind slowly up against his and that was it, everything else was forgotten.

"You sure, Beth?" He could barely get the words out with how he was panting with need, but it was important.

She reached out to the side table, and came back with a foil square. "More sure than I've been about anything in my life, Daryl." She held up that little square and it occured to him that had been right on top of the night stand, ready. He realized in that moment that this had been her plan all along, to have him here in her bed tonight. Fuck, it only made him want her more. With her help, he tore open the square and soon felt her slim little hands rolling the condom down onto his thick length, making him groan at how good even that touch felt.

What followed was a hot, heated blur, but at the same time every moment of it was seared into his mind. That first slow slide into her tight heat. The little breathy moan she gave him when every inch of him was seated inside of her. How her hands scrambled at his back and then _clutched_ as he pulled out and thrust slowly in again. The way he couldn't stop touching her, his hand gliding over her hips, raising her thigh to guide it around his waist, sliding back up to cup her breasts until he could feel her heartbeat against his palm. The sound of his name on her lips, better than anything he'd heard before. And god, the rhythm of their bodies moving together so damn perfectly, as steady as the rhythm of that song she'd sung, the song that had brought them right here tonight.

Finally he felt her begin to tighten around him, heard her breathing hitching and catching in her throat as she neared that brink. She looked up at him, eyes so dark with everything she was feeling, and he was mesmerized as she breathed out in a husky little voice, "_Oh_..." And then, as if it was a complete surprise to her, she went tumbling over the edge with his name on her lips, echoing through the room as she pulsed around him. It was the last blow to the self control he'd been desperately clinging to her for her. A few more thrusts and he was right there with her, calling out her name as his fingers dug into her hips and he lost himself inside her.

They lay there in a tangle of limbs, skin slick with sweat, faces nuzzled into the crooks of each others' necks. He had no desire to move, and he could tell she didn't either, but he didn't want to squish her perfect little body beneath him. With a faint groan Daryl pulled reluctantly out of her and reached down to pull off the condom, tie it off, and toss it into the little can next to the bed in a swift motion. As soon as that was done, his hands were on her hips again. He rolled onto his back and brought her with him, settling her on his chest. Her legs tangled with his and her breasts pressed to his abdomen, but the best feeling of all was her cheek pressed to his chest and her soft hair spilling out across his shoulder.

"So I was thinking," she murmured as her fingers traced shapes over his chest.

"Yeah?"

"I've got another show coming up, in two days."

"Mhm?" He brushed his fingers through her soft hair, still lost in that pleasant haze.

"Mhm. And I was thinking, maybe you could come."

Daryl looked down at her and smiled. "Course I will."

Beth lifted her head and glanced up at him. "'Cause I was thinking of giving 'Just Pretend' another try as a closer, and well, I figured you might like to pay a visit to my dressing room again after..."

She looked up at him with her lips curved into a mischievous little smile, and all Daryl could do was shake his head. Yep. He was a goner. But he was so gonna die a very happy man.


End file.
